After pleading for so long, Bian Weikang had cried himself hoarse, his head pressed against the ground as he sobbed. Every so often, he slammed his fists into the ground, consumed by endless remorse and an even fiercer hatred of himself. He hated that he could not even protect the woman he loved. His fists had begun to bleed.
Once, as Mount Wukang's young master, he had probably never imagined that fifty thousand gold would bring him to such an impasse. Today's reckoning would likely stay with him for the rest of his life.
Among the onlookers nearby, not a single person showed him any sympathy. Most treated him as a joke or looked on with contempt.
Someone even muttered to a companion, "If a grown man can throw away his dignity, what's left to be afraid of? If nothing else works, go rob someone!"
It had not happened to that man. If it truly did, no one knew whether he would actually take that desperate risk and rob someone.
In any case, to the bystanders, Bian Weikang's behavior was an enormous joke. Over a brothel girl, he had utterly disgraced Mount Wukang.
One batch of spectators left, and another arrived.
"The madam of Liyun Tower is here," someone called out.
Everyone turned toward Liyun Tower's main entrance. With a handkerchief dangling between her fingers, the madam, Feng Chi, swayed her hips as she descended the steps one at a time. The several rows of people blocking the foot of the stairs immediately parted to either side.
Feng Chi had barely reached the bottom when Bian Weikang, who had turned at the announcement, crawled on his knees to her feet. He kowtowed several times before lifting his head to plead, "Madam, I'm fifty thousand short, just fifty thousand. Please release Lan'er first. I'll repay you, I swear. I'll pay you double-no, ten times as much."
Looking down at him, Feng Chi said scornfully, "Ten times? If you were still Mount Wukang's young master, I'd believe that. But what do you have to repay me with now?"
With crimson blood smeared across his forehead, Bian Weikang looked agonized. "I understand, I know. Please give me a little more time. I only just heard the news. Where could I find that much money at such short notice? Give me two more days-no, just one more day will do."
Feng Chi could not help laughing. Wasn't the whole point of springing this on him to leave him no time? Otherwise, even a starved camel was bigger than a horse. He had once been Mount Wukang's young master, after all. There was no telling what connections he might find to borrow some money.
She raised her handkerchief to cover her smile, then sighed with apparent feeling. "Bian Weikang, it isn't as though I haven't given you a chance. I told you, if you could bring me the same amount first, then for Lan'er's sake, I'd be willing to break my word, swallow my pride, and endure Master Lü's displeasure.
"She has called me 'Mother' all these years, after all. For my daughter's wish, it's only right that I suffer a little. That would also honor the affection between us.
"But you can't produce the money, and you still won't let me send her over tonight. Aren't you asking me to offend Master Lü beyond all forgiveness? Is Liyun Tower supposed to keep doing business in Skyward City or not?
"Bian Weikang, you can't be so selfish. Lan'er may indulge you because she loves you so devotedly, but no one else will.
"Tell me yourself, what use are you? You have neither money nor ability. Lan'er has supported you all this time with money she earned by performing, putting on smiles, and dancing to other people's moods. As a grown man, can you really spend it with such an easy conscience? That foolish girl even gave you every last bit of her savings so you could buy her freedom.
"Now even her purse is empty. Neither of you has anything left. She's used to fine clothes and fine food. What will she live on? Do you expect her to keep supporting you? Will you make her come out and sell herself again? That girl is foolish. What does she know of how cruel the world is? What's so bad about Master Lü? To my mind, he's a hundred, a thousand times better than you. I truly don't understand why she's so utterly devoted to you. Bian Weikang, if you truly want what's best for Lan'er, let her go."
Her speech left quite a few people sighing and shaking their heads.
Bian Weikang shook his head too, tears streaming down his face. "Rest assured, I won't let her suffer. I'll take her back to Mount Wukang."
At those words, a faint gleam flashed in Feng Chi's eyes. That was precisely what she had been waiting for him to say.
Shi Chun, who had squeezed back into the crowd, immediately took issue with that. It's right for you to go back to Mount Wukang and behave yourself, but what's the meaning of taking a brothel girl with you? Does the Bian family's dignity mean nothing? Where would that leave Mount Wukang's reputation? There's no way they'd accept you back.
To Shi Chun, Bian Weikang had already been expelled from the sect. Taking Liyun Tower's star courtesan back to Mount Wukang would only make it harder for him to return. That would make it harder for Shi Chun to slip in alongside him, and all his efforts would come to nothing.
Thus, his resolve to sell off Liyun Tower's star courtesan grew all the stronger!
It was perfect timing, too. He was short of money. What good were those few thousand gold?
Cultivation required vast amounts of resources. If he found work for a few hundred gold a month, how long would he have to slog away? He had aspirations, ambitions to rise above other men, and he meant to press forward without wavering. Since he had stumbled into this business with Liyun Tower's star courtesan, he might as well scoop up a tidy sum along the way.
He felt that his cultivation had been stalled for quite some time. No matter how he cultivated, he made no progress. It was rather strange. He suspected it was because the Land of Exile lacked cultivation resources, and planned to buy some to try as soon as he got the money.
Though inwardly delighted, Feng Chi let her expression turn cold. With a chilly snort, she said, "Back to Mount Wukang? What nonsense are you dreaming of? Since you won't listen to reason, stop blocking my entrance and bawling. You're interfering with my business. Men, throw him out! Throw him far away!"
At her command, two lines of men immediately came clattering down the steps behind her.
In the small side room, Xiang Lan'er, who had been listening intently, also untied her cloak. She pulled it off and tossed it aside, then hurried to the door, about to open it and rush out.
But just then, a fierce shout rang out. "Let's see who dares! Stop!"
The shout carried such bold confidence that even those inside the building heard it clearly.
Xiang Lan'er froze, her heart tightening. For some inexplicable reason, she sensed that something was wrong. She immediately retreated to the glass window and peered furtively outside from one corner.
She was not the only one. The scene, which had just begun to stir, instantly fell silent.
Two of the guards had already seized Bian Weikang by the arms, one on either side. At the shout, they instinctively paused.
The men charging behind them like wolves and tigers also came to a halt, one after another.
Pushed beyond endurance, Bian Weikang had clenched both fists, his eyes suddenly bloodshot and filled with murderous intent. The abrupt shout likewise startled him into turning his head.
Old Dong and Big Stone, who had followed inside, both turned toward the man beside them. The fierce shout had come from Shi Chun. Both were startled and puzzled. What was the chief trying to do?
Che Si, who had also followed them in, turned to stare blankly at Shi Chun. What's this fellow playing at?
He too had only just returned from the Land of Exile and had no idea what was going on here. He had squeezed in with them to see what was happening, assuming Shi Chun merely wanted to watch the commotion. He had never expected the man to plunge himself straight into the middle of it, leaving him bewildered by the sheer absurdity.
Everyone present looked at Shi Chun.
Seeing his ragged clothes and the obvious injuries from a beating, his dark, bedraggled appearance, one of Liyun Tower's thugs immediately tilted his nose up. "Where did this little bastard come from, putting on airs here? If you don't want to leave flat on your back, behave yourself and get lost!"
He rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, the warning unmistakable.
Shi Chun said calmly, "Jinliang, if anyone tries to throw his weight around, smash him dead!"
He dared to talk big because three men from Wangbo Tower were there with him. They had just given him a vast sum of tens of thousands of gold. Surely that Che Si would not stand by and do nothing.
If necessary, he could still call a halt. First, he needed to strike the proper pose of someone standing up for Bian Weikang, lest that madam look down her dog's nose at him and prove difficult to negotiate with.
After spending years in the Land of Exile, he understood one principle very well: being able to meet someone's terms was one thing; whether they were willing to accept was another. The key was whether they thought you were easy to bully. If they did, they might well raise the price on the spot, and he had no way to find another large sum at such short notice.
He himself had often pulled that sort of last-minute price hike in the past.
"Right you are." Wu Jinliang immediately squeezed forward from behind. He dragged out his enormous weapon and swung it, dazzling everyone's eyes.
What a huge blade!
The thug rolling up his sleeves gaped the moment the giant blade appeared, thoroughly intimidated. Anyone who was not blind could tell that a blade that large, especially one so crudely fashioned, was no ordinary man's weapon. In other words, these newcomers were no ordinary men.
At the sight of that extraordinary blade, a gleam of hope flashed in Bian Weikang's eyes as well.
Old Dong and Big Stone, however, were full of suspicion. Having spent years together, they knew Wu Jinliang all too well. A moment ago, they had found their chief's behavior inexplicable. Now, seeing the excited, hungry grin curling at Wu Jinliang's lips, they realized this was no spur-of-the-moment decision. There had to be something behind it.
Che Si tilted his head toward Shi Chun and muttered vaguely, "Don't do anything rash."
The whole band of thugs turned in unison toward the madam.
Feng Chi's gaze lingered in surprise on the huge blade. Then she noticed a man dressed in Wangbo Tower's attire whispering to Shi Chun. She immediately disregarded the pair's ragged clothing, put away her earlier arrogance, and wreathed her face in smiles. "May I ask what honored place our distinguished guests hail from?"